


14

by FrankiValerie



Series: After Omega [14]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Feels, Jaleb, Love, clinic, jalebforever, jalebislife, jalebislove, omega - Freeform, otp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 12:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11104368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankiValerie/pseuds/FrankiValerie
Summary: 3 chapters posted in 1 day, wow.... there's probably mistakes. I'll fix them later.#Jalebislove





	14

He already knew where Reyes would be. He wouldn’t have gone far from where they saw him. Caleb knew what kind of places he liked to haunt, what attracted him and there were 3 places in particular nearby that he knew that fucker wouldn’t be able to resist. He went with his instinct and found Reyes watching a slender, lilac-skinned Asari in black lace dancing around a pole. His scotch in hand, his eyes glued to her curves.

Keeping an eye on Reyes, Caleb stuck to the shadowy booths in the back, watching like a hawk until the older, well dressed man finally stood up, tipped the dancer and headed out. Typical for Reyes, outside the bar was a group of hired bodyguards that formed around him when he approached, walking around him through Omega as a unit. Caleb kept his distance, waiting until they were away from busier areas to make his move.

Hired muscle was softer than it looked - smoke and mirrors for employability; less about skill and more about fabricated reputations and cheap armour. It was easy for Caleb to take out the unit of guards and reach Reyes. He grabbed hold of his shoulder and pressed the barrel of his shotgun to his neck.

“Reckon you and I are due a talk, eh? You fuck.”

The aging man tensed slightly at his voice, then hid a cruel smile. “Caleb. Been a while. How's the family....oh right. They're dead.”

Caleb pushed the gun barrel further into his neck. “Shut the fuck up you piece of shit. I've been waiting to see you suffer--but I ain't got any issues with shooting you like the dog you are if you keep talking like that.”

Now not bothering to hide his confident smile, Reyes ignored the threat, “Oh Caleb. Still quick to anger I see. Your body working faster than your brain does. Never were a thinker.”

He leaned in close, snarling menacingly, “Shut your fucking mouth, Reyes, or I end this right now.”

“Oh, I doubt that very much. You're not in any position to carry out that threat.” He made a discrete gesture with his hand, which Caleb was too angry to notice.

“The fuck you talking abou--” His voice cut off when he felt a hard, painful pressure on his chest. He looked down and watched as a red spot grew on his shirt; blood flowing from a fresh wound.

Reyes stepped away and turned to him, then pushed him backwards, “No other pain like a gunshot, am I right? Hurts like a mother fucker.”

Trying to suck in a breath, Caleb stumbled back, pressing his hand against the gunshot wound, his back hitting the alley wall.

“You fuck,” he choked.

Reyes was smirking, “You think I'd let you dispatch my guards so easily?” He stepped forward again and drove his fist into his gut, doubling him over, “You stupid fucking moron. I've got Krogan on my payroll smarter than you.” He slammed his arm, making him drop his shotgun.

Caleb slumped down to the floor, desperately trying to stop his bleeding, “Fucking... fuck.”

Reyes slammed his knee hard into his face, “Colony bred trash. That all you can say? Fuck this. Fuck that. Well fuck you, Caleb,” then. with great force, rammed his fist into his face, following with a jab to his stomach, feeling a satisfying crack.

“You're a waste, Caleb; a disappointment. You couldn't save your mom and you couldn't see you were walking right into a trap.”

Grunting through the pain, feeling the snap of fractured bones, Caleb looked up and snarled through shallow breaths, “You shut the fuck up about my mom. You don't get to talk about her. You never get to talk about her.”

Slamming his fist into Caleb’s face, Reyes continued, “From where I'm standing, trash, I can do whatever I like. And you can't do shit to stop me,” glaring at him, he kicked him hard in the torso one final time, “die in the gutter like the fucking garbage you are, Caleb. And as your worthless lifeblood drains onto the dirty street, think about how fucking easy it was for me to kill you.”

He stepped back, straightened himself, adjusted his coat to sit straight before turning his back and walking away, “Enjoy your final moments.

* * *

 

Jack knew something was wrong before we even opened her eyes. Her gut twisted and turned and sharply woke her from a deep sleep. No warm body beside her, no light on outside the bedroom. She sat bolt upright and looked around her.

“Caleb?” She called, knowing there’d be no answer but hoping she was imagining the churning of her stomach. No answer came.

She threw the covers off her, pulled on her clothes and boots, noticing the bottle and shot glasses still on the coffee table. She looked back to the table -- there was a note.  She moved over and snatched up the note

_Jack - I needed to finish this. I'm sorry for leaving in the middle of the night. Forgive me -C_  

She  read the note over a number of times then crunched it in her hand, put it in her pocket and bolted out the door of the safehouse.  She should have known he’d pull something like this; he was so stubborn, he was bound to try and protect her like this.  He was going into this with a hot head - what if this got him killed?

No, she couldn’t think like that. She couldn’t lose him. Not like this. She hoped she wasn’t too late. That he’d been slow and careful - but knew that wasn’t his style. She checked bars, strip clubs, the markets, for any sign of him and finally came across a pile of dead hired mercs and a pool of blood at the opening of an alleyway.  

She rushed forward, her heart almost stopping when she saw his boots.. his legs.. his weak body, blood stained shirt and beaten body slumped against the wall.  Jack knelt beside Caleb and looked over his injuries, relieved to see his chest was still rising and falling very very softly. Maybe she could still save him.

“You stupid fucking..” She grabbed for and fumbled with medi-gel; at least it might stop the bleeding. He was so pale.  There was so much blood.

He stirred softly as she worked over him. “Jack? That you?” While unsure if she was more worried or not at the sound of his weak, defeated voice, she was at least relieved he had the strength to speak.

She grumbled, “It's the fucking tooth fairy,” and smothered medi-gel onto his wound. At least it looked like it was starting to slow the bleeding. She looked around, “Keep talking… We're not far…”

He took a shallow breath and tried to push her away with his blood soaked hand. She felt tears well in her eyes, feeling how weak he was, “J, not safe for you here. You should go.”

She looked back to him, “Not going anywhere without you... fuck sake, C, I can't leave you for 5 fucking minutes.” She activated her Omni-tool and flicked through contacts, finally finding the one she needed she opened up a call, watching Caleb’s eyes glazing over.

He looked down, “I just make things worse. Danger to everyone. Better off if I'm not around you.”

“Shut the fuck up already,” she couldn’t bear to hear him talk like that, but she needed to keep him conscious, “actually, keep talking.” She stroked his hair, feeling as though the ringing in her earpiece had been going on forever.

Finally her salarian contact picked up, “Jack. Long time. Good to hear from you.”

“Mordin! The clinic. Are you there?”

Caleb mumbled to himself, she squeezed his hand, wishing he’d squeeze back, focusing on his lips still moving.

“Stepped out. Will be returning shortly. Something wrong?”

“Caleb-- friend of mine. He’s been shot. I can get him to the clinic, you have to save him. I can’t… Mordin, I can’t lose him.”

“Shot? Will need details. Ammunition. Location. Severity of wound."

"Looks like a sniper shot, to the chest. He's having trouble breathing--" her voice wavered and she swallowed hard. She didn't need to continue, Mordin spoke again, "On my way.” then the call cut out.

“I owe you.” She promised to the silence and squeezed Caleb's hand harder, straining to hear his mumbled words.

“Better…” He swallowed and closed his eyes, “...better off dead.”

“You’re not dying, C. Not gonna let you.  We gotta kill the guys who did this to you, you hear me? You’re going to live to see Reyes suffer.” She tried to sound convincing, but her voice broke and betrayed her intentions, tears falling down her cheeks.

He looked up to her, barely able to keep his eyes open “....he got me. That bastard fucking shot me.”

She could see he’d already given up. He was so defeated. She couldn’t handle seeing him this way. The way Reyes made him. She felt a white hot anger begin to grow in her chest, giving strength to her words again “... He's gonna regret that.”

Caleb looked down at his wound, “...you know it's bad, Jack. Bullet entered right in the worst place. I can feel it.”

She lifted his chin, making him look at her again, “And I got the salarian who cured the fucking genophage on his way. Don't you dare fucking leave me.”

He reached down to his wound, grunting in pain, “Yeah? Dunno why he'd bother helping someone like me.”  

She shook her head again and looked up and down the alley, “C’mon. We have to get you to the clinic.” She stood up and looked over him again. There was no way he could walk. His legs were intact but he’d lost too much blood. Could she carry him with her biotics? Liara had lifted Vega with such ease in Shepard’s apartment, Jack had lifted herself with her biotics once, but she wasn’t sure if she should even try to move Caleb at all, given the extent of his injuries. She didn’t wanna leave him at all. She activated her OT again and tried calling Mordin.

“Oh c’mon, pick the fuck up!”

“Jack?” The answer didn’t come from her earpiece. Mordin was rushing down the alley toward them, spitting orders at a human in a clinic uniform to go and get a gurney.

“Mordin. He was shot in the chest. What do I do?” She knelt back by Caleb’s side, squeezing his hand hard, looking back to Mordin. Caleb grunted, stirring only slightly, turning his head to Jack, “....J?”

Mordin wasted no time in scanning Caleb with his omni-tool, “Caleb. Need details. Administering heavy painkillers.”

Caleb grunted again, exhaling slowly as his pain was clearly relieved. He shifted slightly, trying to sit up but Mordin held him steady, “Sniper shot. Sounded like a widow.” He swallowed and winced uncomfortably, “Think the shot’s still in me, can feel the pressure of it.”

Mordin scanned over the wound again; this time the omni-tool display flashed red and he tapped at it a few times,

“Attempting to stop bleeding.”

Caleb watched, eying his omni-tool, inhaling another shallow breath, “That thing gonna save me, Doc?”

“Giving me information on wound. Helps me treat it correctly. Applying modified medi-gel. Will sting.”

He applied the gel and Caleb tensed, clenching his jaw and hissing, “That’s a touch more than a fucking sting.”

“Round will need to be removed. Blood starting to ease up. Hmmm.” Mordin scanned again, his brow furrowed in deep

Caleb looked down at his wound again then back up to the focused Salarian, “How you gonna get it out? Don’t see any tongs.”

“To delicate an operation for me to do here. Need to get you into clinic.” Mordin had just started talking when his staff reappeared, rolling out a gurney and quickly moved Caleb up and onto it with ease.

“Can't believe I let that fucker get me,” Caleb shook his head again, still sounding defeated and looking paler.

Jack could feel her voice in her throat again, “Don't worry about it right now. We'll get him.” She moved with the gurney, still squeezing his hand. He weakly squeezed back. He stayed quiet as they moved into the clinic and through into a private room. Mordin ordered anesthesia and for Jack to step back. Finally she had to let him go…


End file.
